"Wanted 2 apologize 2 all those I have upset. Not done with any racial reference. Despite intention, phrase was inappropriate in this context."

"My wife is Asian, would never intentionally say anything to disrespect her and that community.''

"Wanted to thank all those for their support. Has meant a lot to me and my family."

In the Philip Roth novel The Human Stain, the protagonist, a college literature professor named Coleman Silk, asks of two absent students: "Do they exist or are they spooks?" The students were black, however, and the ensuing uproar leads to Silk's resignation. Truth: equally as strange as fiction.

UPDATE: In other Lin news, the point guard and media sensation was back in business for today's game against the Dallas Mavericks, scoring a 3-pointer in the fourth-quarter that led to a 104-97 win for the Knicks.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.

We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.